On Saturday 1 April 2023 the St. Blaize Lions Club in Mossel Bay, in the Garden Route district, Western Cape took hands with the Hart & Bosch Village and Top Up Fuel station in Hartenbos when they hosted the first blind navigators rally in this region. A rally of precision and accuracy rather than an all-out quest for speed – with speed limits of 10% below the average speed limit – this rally tested the discipline of all participants – an iconic event indeed.
Saint Blaise is the saint of the wild beast, the patron of the Armenian Order of Saint Blaise. No wonder, then, that the Lions form Mossel Bay took pride in hosting this blazing event with an impressive total of 29 teams partaking in the rally. To add to the hype, the Lions provided the drivers and navigators with refreshments and assisted them where needed, to make this event Mossel Bay one to remember. Great prizes and lucky draws added to the excitement.
The Mayor of Mossel Bay, Dirk Kotze, with navigator Leon van Dyk also partook in the rally. This was Dirk Kotze’s first rally. The first vehicle left at 10h00 and the last vehicle was back before 13h30, as stipulated in the rules. The race took place on public roads with the drivers being guided through the route by their blind navigators. The route was only revealed the morning of the race and the navigators guided the drivers by calling out information regarding geographical points, speed of travel and other instructions typed in braille. To up the stress levels, both participants in the car were strangers to each other at the start of the race. Talk about trust and good teamwork.
Talking about firsts, it is interesting to know that Blind Navigator Rallies originated in South Africa.
The event started and ended at the all-new, family-friendly Hart & Bosch Village located in the small town of Hartenbos. Situated less than 2kms from the Hartenbos turn-off from the N2 highway, Hart & Bosch aims to be the picture-perfect rest stop for road trippers but also a vibrant establishment for residents and holidaymakers alike. Boasting its own restaurant, play area for the children, gin tasting room and distillery, and events area, it’s soon to turn from being a pit stop to a must stop.
TopUp was a proud co-sponsor of the event and in line with the rally-theme of the event, they sponsored 10 litres of fuel for every entrant.
Hosts, St. Blaize Lions, Mossel Bay, is hoping to make this an annual event. It was not just challenging and fun but also provides a great opportunity for all involved to learn more about the skills and abilities of the visually impaired.